Melvin g



M. G. FARIS.

1 ANTIFREEZING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. i917.

1,324,310. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

. 1 awvc mtoz attmmmga MELVIIT G. FARIS, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

ANTIFREEZIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed April 7, 1917. Serial No. 160,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN G. FARIS, a citizen of the United States of America and in the Army of the United States of America, have invented-certain new and use ful Improvements in Antifreezing Devices, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple automatic device for use in connection with motor vehicle radiators and other water circulating systems, whereby the system will be drained of its water immediately prior to the moment water in the system reaches the freezing point, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of my device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the expansion cylinder with the valve-cap removed;

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view 'of a portion of the interior of the valve-cap showing the latch device.

Referring to the drawing annexed by reference characters, a; designates a radiator of a motor vehicle or other circulating system, and b, designates a pipe connected to the lowest part of said system and extending to the lower end of a small expansion cylinder 0 whose lower end is closed and whose upper end is open, the exterior of this cylinder being provided with a plurality of separated packing rings cl to provide a watertight fit with a sliding valve-cap e fitted down over the cylinder.

Near the lower end of the cylinder 0, at a point between two of the packing rings, the cylinder is provided with one or more drain slits or openings At the point of freezing,

the water in the cylinder 0 expands and thus lifts the valve-cap far enough to uncover drain ports f, whereby the radiator or other system a will be drained through said ports 7. To hold the valve-cap up when thus lifted, I may provide any suitable means;

the device shown consists of a spring catch 7 fastened to the valve-cap e and normally bearing against a vertical series of ratchet teeth formed in the expansion cylinder 0 and facing upwardly.

It will be understood that in the most desirable embodiment of my invention, the cylinder 0 will have very small capacity as compared with the radiator or other system and will be located a distance therefrom, so that the water in the expansion cylinder 0 W111 reach the freezing point before the water 111 the system that is to be protected against freezing. Upon expansion of the water in the' cylinder 0 due to the same reaching the freezing point, the valve-cap will be raised suificiently to uncover the drain ports 7', the proportions of the parts being such that the increase in volume of the Water would be sutlicient to raise the cap the desired distance. As soon as the water starts to drain, it will cause a movement of the water throughout the radiator or other system and thus will prevent freezlng during the operation of draining. When the cap is raised, the automatic catch 9 will hold it in its elevated position. It will be understood, of course, that any other suitable locking device may be employed for holding the cap up when it is once raised.

This device being arranged at a point below the lowest water pocket of the radiator or system to be protected, it will be understood that the weight of the cap, together with the friction generated by the impingement against the packing rings and the pressure of the spring catch, must be such as to resist the tendency of the upward pressure of the water to normally lift the cap. It will be observed also that in view of the fact that this drain device is located at a distance from the circulating system, there will be little or no liability of the valve-cap being raised sufiiciently to uncover the drain ports by the expansion under heat of the water, especially in view of the fact that the increase in volume of water due to heating it will be usually taken up in the radiator or the exhaust thereof. However, even if the water in the expansion cylinder 0 becomes as highly heated as the water in the radiator system, it will be an easy matter to so proportion the parts that such expansion of the water will not uncover the drain ports, since water does not expand as much under heat as it does in the act of freezing.

The nature and scope of the invention having been thus indicated and its preferred embodiment having been specifically described, whatis claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class set forth, an open-top cylinder provided with a drain port or ports and connected to a Water receptacle or system to be protected, a cylindown over said eylinder. lhis cup nori'nally closing lhe port and "forming n elosnre for the upper open end of the erlnnler, nieum being provided for locking; the valve-cap 15 up when it is slid upwardly on the e linde1'. In testimony whereof I hereunto zillix my signature.

MELVIN G. FARIS. 

